A communication device (9) has a Wi-Fi® device (14) for communicating with another communication device (9). The Wi-Fi® device (14) has one output connected to an antenna (13) and another output connected to a coaxial cable jack (10) via a coupler (11). The antenna (13) therefore provides a wireless communications link and the coupler (11) provides a wired communications link. A diversity switch (18) of the Wi-Fi® device (14) uses antenna diversity switching provided for in the Wi-Fi® standards to switch between the wireless communications link and the wired communications link.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A communication device comprising: a coaxial interface configured for connection to a wired link including a coaxial cable; a wireless antenna configured for connection over a wireless link; a wireless protocol circuit configured to transmit a first communication signal to a second communication device via at least one of the wireless link and the wired link using a wireless communication protocol, monitor a quality of a second communication signal received using a wireless communication protocol and from the second communication device via the wireless link and the wired link, and switch between transmission of the first communication signal to the second communication device via the wireless link and transmission of the first communication signal to the second communication device via the wired link according to the monitored signal quality.
2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication protocol is Wi-Fi®.
3. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the monitored signal quality is a received signal strength indication.
4. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the monitored signal quality is a signal to noise ratio.
5. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is connected to receive a broadcast television signal over the wired link.
6. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the wired link comprises a coaxial cable.
7. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the wired link to the second communication device comprises a wired connection between the communication devices via a distribution amplifier for amplifying a broadcast television signal and distributing the broadcast television signal to the communication devices via the wired connection, wherein the distribution amplifier has a circuit for passing the communication signals between the communication devices.
8. A network incorporating the communication devices of claim 1 .
9. A television receiver incorporating the communication device of claim 1 .
10. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the wireless protocol circuit is configured to switch from transmission of the first communication signal to the second communication device via the wired link to transmission of the first communication signal to the second communication device via the wireless link in response to the monitored quality of a second communication signal received via the wired link.
11. A communication system comprising: a communication device configured to select one of a wireless communication link and a coaxial communication link based upon a signal quality of a signal received on the coaxial communication link; and a distribution amplifier including a broadcast television signal input configured to receive a broadcast television signal; an amplifier configured to amplify the broadcast television signal; a first coaxial interface configured to connect to a wired link including a coaxial cable; a second coaxial interface configured to connect to a wired link including a coaxial cable; a distribution circuit configured to distribute the amplified broadcast television signal to two or more television receivers over the first coaxial interface and the second coaxial interface; and a circuit configured to pass a communication signal received from a first one of the television receivers via the communication device on the first coaxial interface to the second coaxial interface, using a wireless communication protocol, to transmit the communication signal to a communication device of another of the television receivers.
12. A method of communication, the method comprising: transmitting a communication signal from one communication device to a second communication device via at least one of a wireless link and a wired link using a wireless communication protocol and; at the one communication device, using the wireless communication protocol to monitor a quality of a communication signal received from the second communication device via both the wireless link and the wired link, and switching transmission of the communication signal to the second communication device between the wireless link and the wired link according to the monitored signal quality.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wireless communication protocol is Wi-Fi®.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the monitored signal quality is a received signal strength indication.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the monitored signal quality is a signal to noise ratio.
16. The method of claim 12 , connected to receive a broadcast television signal over the wired link.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wired link comprises a coaxial cable.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the wired link to the second communication device comprises a wired connection between the communication devices via a distribution amplifier for amplifying a broadcast television signal and distributing the broadcast television signal to the communication devices via the wired connection, wherein the distribution amplifier has a circuit for passing the broadcast television signal between the communication devices.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein switching transmission of the communication signal to the second communication device between the wireless link and the wired link according to the monitored signal quality includes switching the transmission of the communicated signal from the wired link to the wireless link in response to the monitored quality of a communication signal received via the wired link.
20. A method of amplifying and distributing a broadcast television signal, the method comprising: amplifying the broadcast television signal; distributing the amplified broadcast television signal to two or more television receivers over a first coaxial interface and a second coaxial interface; communicating, from a first one of the television receivers to the first coaxial interface, a communication signal using a wireless communication protocol in response to a monitored signal quality of a signal received via both the first coaxial interface and a wireless communications link; and passing the communication signal received on the first coaxial interface to a second one of the television receivers via the second coaxial interface, using the wireless communication protocol to a communication device of another of the television receivers from the one communication device to the other.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 10, 2006
June 12, 2012
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